MANCHESTER United has overcame a floodlight failure to win 1-0 at Fulham through a late Wayne Rooney goal to go 10 points clear at the top of the English Premier League.

An open first half saw the woodwork rattled four times, with Bryan Ruiz hitting the post for Fulham, while Patrice Evra, Fulham defender Brede Hangeland and Rooney all sent the ball against the frame of the hosts' goal.

A floodlight failure in the 43rd minute plunged Craven Cottage into darkness and forced the players off the pitch, but they returned to complete the first half after the lights came back on.

Rooney netted the winner in the 79th minute, haring down the inside-left channel and steering the ball into the bottom-right corner to send United well clear of second-place Manchester City.

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Earlier in the day, new signing Moussa Sissoko completed a second-half brace with a last-minute winner to give Newcastle United a 3-2 victory at home to Chelsea that prevented the visitors from making ground on the top two.

After Jonas Gutierrez put Newcastle ahead in the first half, Chelsea hit back through fine goals from Frank Lampard and Juan Mata to take a 2-1 lead, but Sissoko equalised in the 68th minute before driving home his late winner.

"I don't need to say anything because his performance said it all," said Newcastle manager Alan Pardew of Sissoko.

"I remember watching him for Toulouse 14 months ago, and I thought he was the one for us. We watched him and set our sights on him for a long time."

Defeat left Chelsea six points behind City and 16 points shy of Manchester United.

"I could see a red card that was not shown for Fabricio Coloccini. We had a chance and Demba Ba received a broken nose, it is bleeding."

Arsenal left it late to beat Stoke City 1-0 and move to within a point of the Champions League places.

Substitute Lukas Podolski settled the game in the 78th minute with a low free-kick that deflected off Geoff Cameron to wrong-foot goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

At Goodison Park, Marouane Fellaini headed in an injury-time equaliser to earn Everton a 3-3 draw in a breathless game at home to Aston Villa, who once again failed to defend a lead and remain firmly entrenched in the bottom three.

"I thought we played well but didn't defend well," said Everton manager David Moyes.

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